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HISTORY  OF  THE 

CAKOLINA  TWINS. 


We  are,  indeed,  a  strange  people,  justly  regarded 
both  by  scientific  and  ordinary  eyes  as  the  great- 
est natural  curiosities  the  world  has  ever  had  sent 
upon  its  surface.  Physicians  who  have  examined 
us  say  our  formation — or  rather  malformation — is 
much  more  remarkable  than  the  physical  condi- 
tion of  the  Siamese  Twins. 

We  made  our  entree  into  this  breathing  world 
in  1852.  Our  coming  in  such  "questionable 
shape'1  created  as  great  &  furore  in  the  cabin,  as 
our  appearance  has  since,  wherever  we  have  been. 
"  Old  Aunt  Hannah,"  a  faithful  nurse,  whose  spe- 
cialty was  to  be  around  and  to  discharge  the  first 
hospitalities  to  new  comers  of  our  complexion, 
couldn't  for  ude  life  or  soul  of  her"  tell  whether 


we  was  a  " young  nigger"  or  " something  else." 
But  the  "something  else"  soon  gave  unmistakable 
evidences  that  it  could  viva  voce  intimate  a  desire 
for  maternal  comforts,  just  as  well  as  the  best 
developed  young  African  on  the  premises.  So 
our  mother  and  the  rest  of  the  family  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  "a  child  was  born." 

Our  parents  were  named  Jacob  and  Menemia, 
and  at  the  time  of  our  birth  were  part  of  the 
family  of  a  Mr.  McCoy.  Shortly  afterwards  we 
and  our  parents  'changed  owners,  and  were  taken 
to  Anson  county,  North  Carolina.  There  we  be- 
come separated  from  our  parents,  and  after  a 
few  more  transfers  in  the  way  of  ownership,  be- 
came the  property  of  Mr.  James  P.  Smith,  who 
gave  for  us,  two  strange  lumps  of  humanity,  the 
sum  of  $6,000.  He,  with  a  goodness  of  heart, 
which  in  after  life  developed  itself  in  more  ways 
than  one  towards  us,  ascertained  where  our  pa- 
rents were,  went  to  their  owners,  purchased  them, 
and  all  our  little  brothers  and  sisters,  thus  bring- 
ing a  long  separated  family  together,  and  the  mak- 
ing of  more  than  one  heart  rejoice  in  gladness. 

When  we  were  infants,  not  much  more  than 
fifteen    months   old,   Mr.   Smith   yielding    to   the 


advice  of  a  number  of  his  friends  and  well  wishers, 
made  arrangements  for  starting  upon  an  exhibi- 
tion tour  through  the  Gulf  States,  intending  to 
show  us  at  all  the  principal  cities  and  towns.  Our 
local  fame  was  communicated  to  the  press  gener- 
ally throughout  the  South,  and  soon  the  "South 
Carolina  Twins,"  or  "double  headed  girl,"  be- 
came a  magnet  of  attraction  to  the  lovers  of  the 
curious  in  nature. 

Perhaps  it  would  not  be  improper  to  remark 
here,  en  passant,  that  Mr.  Smith  was  not  in  those 
days  a  practical  "showman,"  but  being  a  "South- 
ern gentleman  from  the  country,"  was  very  liable 
to  be  imposed  upon.  A  speculator,  one  of  those 
"smart"  men,  ever  ready  to  take  all  undue  advan- 
tage of  his  fellow  man,  came  to  Mr.  Smith  at  New 
Orleans,  and  made  a  proposition  to  become  our 
exhibitor.  This  man  had  a  persuasive  address, 
spoke  as  one  having  authority,  and  great  influ- 
ence with  the  "press  and  the  public,"  so  the  con- 
sequences were  Mr.  Smith  hired  the  fellow  to 
exhibit  us,  rather  to  "put  us  properly  before  the 
public/1  The  man  was  to  get  a  per  centage  of 
the  receipts,  Mr.  S.  to  bear  all  the  expenses.  For 
a  while   things  worked   agreeably,  until    one  day 


Mr,  S.  was  called  to  his  home  in  North  Carolina 
to  attend  to  some  pressing  business.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  absence  of  our  kind  master  and 
guardian,  the  man  absolutely  kidnapped  us,  stole 
us  from  our  mother,  and  bore  us  far  away  from 
friends,  kindred,  or  any  one  who  had  a  rigid  to 
feel  an  interest  in  us.  The  man  who  took  us  away 
could  not,  or  rather  did  not  dare  to  publicly 
exhibit  us,  but  gave  private  exhibitiors  to  scien- 
tific bodies,  thus  reaping  quite  a  handsome  income 
off  of  "two  little  black  girls''  whom  he  had 
stolen  away. 

Finally,  when  we  had  been  thus  dragged  over 
the  country  for  nearly  two  years,  the  one  who  had 
surreptitiously  became  our  custodian,  disposed  of 
us  to  another  speculator,  who  was  unacquainted 
with  the  fact  that  we  were  originally  and  then  the 
legal  property  of  Mr.  Smith.  He  took  us  to 
Philadelphia  and  placed  us  in  a  small  Museum  in 
Chestnut  street,  near  Sixth,  then  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Col.  Wood,  who  is,  we  believe,  somewhat 
known  as  a  showman. 

While  there,  a  party  saw  us,  and  hearing  that 
we  were  born  South,  came  to  the  conclusion  to 
get  possession  of  us.     He  went  to  the  authorities 


and  said  we  were  slaves,  brought  into  a  free 
State,  where  we  were  unjustly  deprived  of  our 
liberty.  He  prayed  the  Court  to  exercise  juris- 
diction in  the  premises,  take  us  away  from  the 
party  who  held  us,  and  to  appoint  a  guardian  for 
us.  This  dodge  did  not  work  well,  for  the  man 
who  had  us  spirited  us  away  before  the  necessary 
papers  could  be  served,  and  in  a  few  hours  we 
were  upon  the  basins  of  the  broad  Atlantic  en  route 
for  Europe. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Smith  had  gained  tidings  of 
us,  and  in  company  with  his  Attorney,  Luke 
Blackmar,  Esq.,  of  Salisbury,  and  a  friend,  J. 
Vestal,  Esq.,  came  North  to  reclaim  us.  He  and 
his  friends  arrived  in  the  city  of  New  York  the 
day  after  the  Baltic  sailed  with  us.  Friends  who 
took  an  interest  in  Mr.  Smith's  misfortunes,  told 
him  that  all  attempts  to  claim  us  as  his  property 
would  prove  futile  in  England ;  but  that  no  one 
could  restrain  us,  provided  our  parents  claimed  us 
as  then  infant  children.  Quick  as  thought  he 
acted  upon  the  suggestion,  started  for  our  home 
in  the  "  Old  North  State,"  got  our  mother  Mene- 
mia,  and  was  soon  en  route  for  "Merrie  England," 
where  he  and  our  mother  shortly  arrived  in  safety. 


10 

Mr.  Smith  was  not  long  in  discovering  our 
whereabouts.  The  fact  of  our  being  in  England 
was  soon  known,  as  the  parties  who  had  carried 
us  there  thought  that  they  could,  any  where  out 
of  the  United  States,  show  us  with  impunity. 
They  influenced  a  colored  woman,  under  the 
promise  of  a  rich  reward,  to  testify  upon  oath  that 
she  was  our  mother  ;  but  the  woman,  anticipating 
the  enormity  of  the  crime,  ran  away  ;  not  until, 
however,  she  had  received  in  advance  a  portion 
of  the  wages  of  sin.  Another  woman  yielded  to 
the  temptation  of  gold,  and  did  in  open  court 
perjure  her  soul,  and  swear  that  she  had  given  us 
birth.  But  her  carefully  told  and  well  rehearsed 
lie  would  not  stand  the  close  scrutiny  of  the  Min- 
isters of  Law,  who  listened  to  the  plain  and  well- 
told  narrative  of  our  mother,  who  evinced  a  moth- 
er's tenderness  for  us,  her  little  deformities,  and 
imparted  a  pathos  to  those  utterances  when  she, 
in  a  natural  unassuming  way,  begged  for  the  cus- 
tody of  her  children,  from  whom  she  had  so  long 
been  separated,  but  from  whom  she  could  never 
feel  estranged.  The  law  vindicated  itself,  and 
gave  us  to  our  mother. 

As  soon  as  the  decision  was  made  manifest,  then 


1! 

those  who  had  stolen  us  the  last  time  endeavored 
to  prevail  upon  our  mother  to  hire  us  to  them, 
offering  her  a  large  sum  to  allow  us  to  travel  over 
the  country,  and  to  go  upon  the  continent.  This 
she  refused  to  accede  to,  until  some  outside  par- 
ties succeeded  in  inducing  Mr.  Smith  to  consent 
to  some  co-partnership  arrangement,  by  which 
both  he  and  us  would  be  the  recipients  of  fine  re- 
ceipts, Mr.  S.  then  consented  to  mother's  signing 
a  three  years1  agreement,  the  effects  of  which  we 
need  not  here  give.  But,  suffice  it  to  say,  that 
soon  the  cloven  foot  of  the  man  who  wanted  us, 
showed  itself;  he  tried  to  vitiate  the  contract,  so 
as  to  get  things  his  own  way,  and  thus  deprive  us 
of  our  rights.  He  abused  our  mother,  and  ap- 
plied the  most  revolting  epithets.  He  threatened 
the  life  of  Mr.  Smith,  and  refused  to  allow  us  to 
receive  the  attention  and  luxuries  which  children 
of  tender  age  require.  Our  mother  got  afraid, 
and  begged  our  good  master  to  assist  her  and  us 
children  to  reach  the  shores  of  our  own  beloved 
America.  He  yielded  to  her  prayers  and  entreat- 
ies, and  determined  to  set  us  free  from  a  bondage 
so  repulsive.  Becoming  familiar  with  the  running 
time  of  all  the  railway  trains,  and  becoming  cog- 


12 

nizant  of  the  exact  time  when  the  steamer  would 
leave  her  dock  at  Liverpool,  he  made  all  arrange- 
ments for  a  speedy  departure.  Getting  a  trusty 
cabman  to  come  to  our  lodgings,  where  all  our 
things  were  in  readiness,  we  were  at  the  depot  in 
London  before  any  one  surmised  our  intentions. 
The  steam  cars  moved,  and  after'  a  rapid  journey 
(for  steam  cars  do  travel  in  England)  we  arrived 
at  the  Americanized  city  of  Liverpool  just  half  an 
hour  before  the  steamer  Atlantic  was  ready  to 
leave  her  docks. 

With  grateful  hearts  we  turned  our  backs  upon 
Albion's  shore,  not  but  that  the  people  treated  us 
well  enough,  and  would  have  paid  liberally  to 
have  seen  us  ;  still,  we  had  enemies  there  who  we 
thought  would  injure  our  master  and  protector, 
and  act  in  bad  faith  toward  us. 

There  are  many  things  of  interest  we  missed 
seeing  in  England,  on  account  of  the  brief  time 
we  had  to  stay  there.  Perhaps,  now,  that  we  are 
u  grown  up  girls,"  and  like  the  rest  of  the  sex, 
with  tongues,  and  a  knowledge  of  their  use,  we 
may  go  across  the  water  once  more.  A  gentle- 
man who  called  to  see  us  when  we  were  on  exhi- 
bition in   Baltimore,    told  us  that   the    ''double 


headed  girl"  was  often  inquired  after,  and  that  he 
thought  we  would  prove  a  "  good  card"  there. 
At  present  our  business  relations  are  such  that  we 
feel  in  duty  bound  to  stay  at  home. 

We  might,  could  we  feel  disposed,  tell  many 
anecdotes  of  our  travels,  but  we  think  a  simple 
narative  of  ourselves  is  all  that  at  present  those  of 
our  patrons  who  buy  our  little  book  will  require. 

But  our  visit  to  the  Queen  and  the  Royal  Fam- 
ily at  "  Osbourne  House,"  we  shall  never  forget. 
Her  Majesty  had,  "  signified  her  pleasure"  to  have 
us  brought  before  her.  Our  good  mother  wrap- 
ped us  up  in  real  southern  style  to  shield  us  from 
the  heavy  fogs  of  London.  We  nor  she  did  not 
comprehend  the  glory  of  the  errand  we  wrere  bent 
upon,  only  she  knew  that  a  grand  and  good  lady 
wanted  to  see  us.  When  we  arrived,  the  pomp 
and  circumstances  of  the  surroundings  dazzled  our 
young  eyes,  and  wre  wondered  what  was  to  be 
done  with  us.  But  we  can  say  that  "  Victoria 
was  a  woman"  for  she  talked  tenderly  to  us,  and 
to  our  mother,  and  when  we  left  we  bore  away 
abundant  tokens  of  her  good  feeling  and  queenly 
liberality.  A  great  many  artists  boast  of  having 
been  before  the  Queen.     Perhaps  they  have,  and 


14 

employed  great  diplomacy  to  get  there.  But 
with  us  the  case  was  different.  Poor  little  mon- 
strosities, and  black  babies  at  that;  we  were  sent 
for,  and  that  without  any  influence  at  court  to 
gain  for  us  a  Royal  summons. 

When  we  arrived  home  again  at  New  York,  Mr. 
Smith  took  us  under  his  cloak  and  carried  us  on 
the  Ferry  Boat  to  Jersey  City,  where  he  got  us  on 
the  cars  and  never  stopped  until  we  reached  the 
Monumental  City,  where  we  felt  safe  from  pursuit. 

There  we  rested  for  a  few  days  under  the  hos- 
pitable roof  of  Barnum's  Hotel  and  then  left  for 
our  own  dear  home.  It  was  a  joyous  night  when 
we  arrived  there  and  found  our  "white  ma,"  Mrs. 
Smith,  waiting  to  secure  us.  Of  course  we  then 
did  not  appreciate  her  worth  for  we  were  babies 
when  we  left  her ;  but  we  soon  learned  to  regard 
her  with  the  most  tender  feelings.  She  taught  us 
our  first  precepts  of  religion,  and  assumed  the 
duties  of  preceptress,  our  ideas  of  a  Deity  were 
very  imperfect.  We  had  heard  the  Supreme 
Being  alluded  to,  but  not  in  tones  of  love  and  rev- 
erence, but  to  give  force  to  some  angry  expression. 
She  gradually  imparted  to  us  such  ideas  as  our 
crude  minds  could  comprehend,   until  such  times 


15 

as  we  could  begin  to  understand  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  doctrine  of  the  established  church 
of  England.  Now,  although  we  do  not  wish  to 
speak  Pharisaical,  we  think  we  can  safely  call  our- 
selves really  Christian  children.  Mrs.  S.  instruct? 
ed  us  to  read  and  write,  to  sing  and  dance,  and 
thus  while  being  able  to  enjoy  ourselves,  and  to 
employ  our  time  usefully,  to  contribute  in  no 
small  degree  to  the  amusement  of  those  who  called 
to  see  us. 

In  I860  we  were  in  New  Orleans  when  the 
domestic  political  troubles  commenced.  Mr.  Smith, 
who  had  heavy  responsibilities  resting  upon  him, 
was  obliged  to  withdraw  us  from  public  life  and 
take  us  home.  Shortly  after  that,  he  was  taken 
ill,  and  after  a  few  weeks'  suffering  died,  leaving 
his  widow  to  look  after  his  people  and  the  estate. 
We  were  old  enongh  then  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
our  good  master,  who  seemed  to  us  as  a  father, 
and  we  here  would  render  a  grateful  tribute  to  his 
memory,  by  saying  that  he  was  urbane,  generous, 
kind,  patient-bearing,  and  beloved  by  all.  We 
trust,  in  fact  believe,  that  he  has  gone  to  that 
heaven  we  have  heard  him  so  often  describe  to 
us,  when  he  would  impress  upon  our  minds  the 


16 

necessity  of  leading  a  good  life  in  the  hope  of 
gaining  a  blessed  immortality  hereafter. 

Master  had  always  been  liberal  to  others,  and 
had,  upon  frequent  occasions,  lost  heavily  in  busi- 
ness transactions.  These  circumstances  and  the 
results  of  the  war,  left  us  and  his  widow  and  chil- 
dren to  a  certain  extent  in  straightened  circum- 
stances. The  only  alternative  was  for  us  to  again 
go  upon  exhibition,  and  by  our  humble  efforts 
contribute  to  the  happiness  and  comforts  of  the 
surviving  members  of  our  late  master's  family. 
We  are  interested  pecuniarily  in  the  "  show,"  and 
are  daily  receiving  and  putting  away  our  share  of 
the  proceeds.  None  can  mistake  our  determina- 
tion in  remaining  under  the  guardianship  of  Mrs. 
Smith.  Our  object  is  t  wo -fold :  We  can  trust 
Iter,  and  what  is  more,  we  feel  grateful  to  her  and 
regard  her  with  true  filial  affection.  We  will  not 
go  with  any  one  else ;  where  she  goes  there  will 
we  go  ;  where  she  tarries  there  will  we  halt.  We 
shall  endeavor  to  imitate  that  deep  devotion  which 
Ruth  evinced  toward  Naomi. 

Having  thus  spoken  of  ourselves  and  given  you 
a  very  plain,  and  perhaps,  a  very  uninteresting 
autobiography,  we  will  give  you  a  few  extracts 


IT 

from  letters  and  opinions  which  have  been  uttered 
and  expressed  relative  to  us : 

The  editor  of  the  Louisville  Journal  said,  "  The 
exhibition  of  these  remarkable  twins  is  character- 
ized by  the  peculiar  delicacy,  modesty  and  ingen- 
iousness  of  these  young  girls  themselves.  Nothing 
occurs  nor  can  occur  offensive  to  the  most  fasti- 
dious sense  of  propriety,  or  refined  taste."  Mr. 
Prentice,  we  have  always  heard,  could  say  pleas- 
ant as  well  as  very  witty  and  cunning  things.  We 
thank  him  for  the  handsome  manner  in  which  he 
has  thought  proper  to  speak  of  us. 

"  Brick  Pomeroy,"  of  the  LaCrosse  Democrat, 
came  to  one  of  our  levees  last  winter,  and  shortly 
after  our  secretary  received  a  paper  from  Wiscon- 
sin which  contained  the  subjoined :  "  We  have 
seen  the  Carolina  Twins,  or  the  '  Double-headed 
Girl'  as  they  are  styled  on  the  bills.  We  can  in 
truth  say  we  were  pleased  with  them,  particularly 
with  the  manner  in  which  they  conversed.  They 
are  not  impudent,  but  they  are  not  foolishly  retir- 
ing. They  sing  well,  in  fact  excellent ;  and  dance 
divinely,  considering  the  manner  in  which  their 
limbs  and  body  are  constructed.  They  know 
they    are  a  curiosity,  and  feel  anxious    that    the 


IS 

public  should  appreciate  their  attractiveness* 
We  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  them  to  be 
the  most  extraordinary  exhibition  of  a  peculiar 
and  "indissoluble  union"  we  have  ever  witnes- 
sed. The  Siamese  twins  in  the  way  of  strange 
formation  cannot  bear  any  comparison  to  them." 

That  editor  fully  knows  how  we  feel  in  regard 
to  the  public.  We  wished  to  be  viewed  as  some- 
thing entirely  void  of  humbug — a  living  curiosity 
— not  a  sham  gotten  up  to  impose  upon  and  de- 
ceive the  people.  We  are  indeed  a  strange  freak 
of  Nature,  and  upon  the  success  of  our  exhibition 
does  our  happiness  and  the  well  doing  of  others 
depend.  We  have  been  examined  most  scrutiniz- 
ingly  by  too  many  medical  men  to  be  regarded  as 
humbugs  by  any  one.  Still  there  are  many  per- 
sons who  will  not  believe  anything,  no  matter  how 
strong  the  facts  may  be  presented  to  them.  If 
there  be  any  such  who  have  been  to  see  us,  and 
into  whose  hands  this  little  book  of  ours  may 
chance  to  fall,  we  beg  most  respectfully  to  offer 
them  some  medical  testimony  of  a  most  positive 
and  unmistakable  character. 


19 

Philadelphia,  May  30th,  1866. 
Mrs.  James  P.  Smith: 

Madam  : — A  number  of  medical  gentlemen  hav- 
ing been  invited  to  examine  the  North  Carolina 
Twins  now  upon  exhibition  at  the  Assembly  Build- 
ings, say  they  found  a  thorough  fusion  of  the 
lower  portion  of  the  trunk,  osseous  and  fleshy ; 
the  two  spinal  columns  uniting  together  at  the 
base,  forming  but  one  large  bone  common  to  both. 

The  limbs  and  upper  part  of  each  trunk  and 
the  heads  are  perfectly  separate,  as  though  belong- 
ing to  a  distinct  individuality,  forming  the  most 
interesting  monstrosity,  morally  and  physically 
considered,  on  record.  Among  the  gentlemen 
who  are  willing  to  allow  their  names  to  appear 
and  give  tone  to  the  above  statements  are : 

Dr.  S.  H.  Dickson, 

Professor  Practice  of  Medicine,  Jefferson  Medical  College. 

Dr.  Ellersiie  Wallace, 
Professor  of  Obstetrics,  Jefferson  Medical  College. 

Dr.  John  B.  Bidde, 

Professor  Materia  Medica,  Jefferson  Medical  College. 

Dr.  J.  Aitkin  Meigs, 
Lecturer  Summer  School. 

Dr.  William  H.  Pancoast, 

Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  and  Lecturer  Summer  School. 


00        .       ' 

All  these*  gentlemen  are  well  known,  not  only 
in  Philadelphia,  but  throughout  a  great  portion  of 
the  country,  and  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that  they 
could  be  deceived,  and  it  is  still  more  unlikely 
that  they  would  lend  their  countenance  to  an  im- 
position. 

Although  we  speak  of  ourselves  in  the  plural, 
we  feel  as  but  one  person;  in  fact  as  such  we  have 
ever  been  regarded,  although  we  bear  the  names 
Millie  and  Christina.  One  thing  is  certain,  we 
would  not  wish  to  be  severed,  even  if  science 
could  effect  a  separation.  We  are  contented  with 
our  lot,  and  are  happy  as  the  day  is  long.  We 
have  but  one  heart,  one  feeling  in  common,  one 
desire,  one  purpose. 

The  song  we  sing,  we  have  so  often  been  re- 
quested to  give  copies  of,  that  we  have  concluded 
to  insert  it  in  our  book.  We  must  admit  that,  as 
a  literary  production,  it  has  not  much  merit,  but 
it  conveys  a  good  idea  of  our  feelings. 


31 


It's  not  modest  of  one's  self  to  speak. 
But  daily  scanned  from  head  to  feet 
I  freely  talk  of  everything — 
Sometimes  to  persons  wondering. 

Some  persons  say  I  must  be  two, 
The  doctors  say  this  is  not  true ; 
Some  cry  out  humbug,  till  they  sec, 
When  they  say,  great  mystery ! 

Two  heads,  four  arms,  four  feet, 
All  in  one  perfect  body  meet; 
I  am  most  wonderfully  made. 
All  scientific  men  have  said. 

None  like  me,  since  days  of  Eve, 
None  such  perhaps  will  ever  live, 
A  marvel  to  myself  am  I, 
As  well  to  all  who  passes  by. 

I'm  happy,  quite,  beeause  I'm  good ; 
I  love  my  Savior  and  my  God.  , 
I  love  all  things  that  God  has  done, 
Whether  I'm  created  two  or  one. 


9t9 


Those  who  are  in  attendance  upon  us  can,  per- 
haps, give  the  public  some  information  that  we 
have  overlooked.  Hoping  our  little  book  will  be 
found  well  worth  the  money,  we  conclude  our 
plain  unvarnished  tale. 


